


to kill you with a kiss

by Tayani



Series: ShuAke Confidant Week [5]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Angst, Character Study, Day 5, Feelings, M/M, Monologue, ShuAke Confidant Week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-02
Updated: 2018-11-02
Packaged: 2019-08-14 12:29:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16492625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tayani/pseuds/Tayani
Summary: ShuAke Confidant Week Day 5 – blackmail / exposure / trickeryAkechi Goro walks down the long, underground corridor, ready to finish the job.





	to kill you with a kiss

The steps echoed in the empty corridor. As he walked, Goro wondered – briefly – whether what he had just jokingly told Niijima Sae was the truth.

If things got violent down there… would it really be this hard to notice? Even with a silencer on the gun, won’t the shot echo down this corridor, the sound smashing against the walls and running off towards the end, in search of freedom, like a prisoner trying to escape?

Goro took in a deep breath and closed his eyes briefly, collecting himself. This was no time for silly metaphors and pointless wonderings. He came here to finish his job. There was nothing left to do but to follow the plan; his feet falling easily into steps he has walked through so many times during sleepless nights, steeling himself for this moment again and again.

He had expected to feel excited; to feel sick, nervous, or high on adrenaline. And yet, as his legs carried him closer and closer to the lone guard standing in front of what seemed to be the only door that mattered in this long corridor, Goro felt only numb resignation.

His voice felt almost robotic as he spoke to the guard, asking him to come inside as well. His movements were mechanical as he followed, eyes never moving up to look at the man sitting by the table; as he snatched the gun, put the silencer on and pulled the trigger, watching with mild interest as the guard fell down in the pool of blood, without a scream, with hardly a sound.

It was almost too easy.

Only then did his eyes slide up; watching Akira as he sat there, still and wide-eyed, hands on the table before him. He was bruised; his eyes still slightly unfocused. Goro frowned as his own eyes darted down, spotting the few syringes still scattered across the floor. A sick, horrible feeling welled up inside of his chest, but he pushed it down. Without a word, he fixed his glove and pointed the gun at Akira’s head.

“…I did say you trust too easily, Akira.” Goro said quietly, with a little sigh. “Really… I could have forgiven you falling for this charade of me trying to convince you I wanted to be your friend, but… diving head-first like this, really. Not at all the kind of behaviour I would have expected from the leader of the Phantom Thieves.”

Akira was staring at him, soundlessly; grey eyes fixed on the barrel of the gun pointing at his forehead. Goro sighed quietly.

“You know… when you kissed me for the first time, I was surprised. I won’t deny you were attractive to me from the start; not just your looks, of course. I rarely fall for looks alone. There was sharpness to your mind that, coupled with that naïve sense of justice of yours, was just so alluring to me. Still… though I returned your flirting with my own, I didn’t expect you to actually go for it. I really was surprised… Pleasantly so, I suppose.”

A little, humourless smile pulled at the corners of Goro’s mouth. The gun shook in his hand; it was hard to tell whether from emotion or his arm getting tired of being held up.

“I should have known a relationship with you would only complicate things. I should have known I won’t be able to keep my own feelings at bay, as I should have. I should have known it will only make it harder to finish you off…”

Goro leaned in a bit; the gun pressing, hard, against the middle of Akira’s forehead. It stopped shaking now, but Goro’s finger that rested on the trigger still did.

“And at the same time, I kept wondering… did you know? Right from the start, as I did? Were you simply using me, just as I tried – and failed – to use you? When you said you loved me…”

Goro’s voice broke; and he coughed angrily, trying to hide the fact, even just from himself.

“…did you mean it? Or were you simply trying to seduce me into sparing your life? What a clever plan it would have made; and after all, how fitting. Akira Kurusu, the leader of the Phantom Thieves, escaping death by stealing one last heart.”

The detective snorted quietly; bitterness and hurt in his voice as he continued to talk.

“Deep down, I always worried about this. I was ashamed of being worried, too. What did it matter? It was a fling we both knew won’t last. Sooner or later… it was doomed. And yet I kept coming back to that blasted attic, and you were there, and for an hour, or two, or a night… I could play pretend. I could try not to ask myself whether you truly did love me or not.”

The gun shook once more; and then, Goro looked away and lowered it, throwing it to the floor next to the body of the guard.

“…I suppose I found my answer today.” he said quietly, pulling out his phone and looking with cold disinterest at the shining, red eye pulsating on his screen. “You had to know, to prepare a convoluted plan like this. You had to know from the start…”

He clicked the button, and the app made the world around him waver once more. The gun, the body of the guard and Akira’s still face disappeared. Before him sat the same man, but _real_ now; more animated, more genuine. Wearily, as he watched Akira’s eyes widen as he saw him – undoubtedly – appear out of thin air, Goro wondered how these fools could have even entertained the idea he’ll fall for mere decoy like this. Him, who has seen Akira at his most vulnerable already; him, who knew him better than any of them could hope to…

…him, who at least once hoped he did.

“…pass my compliments to Navi, will you?” Goro said quietly, pocketing his phone. “As convoluted as this plan has been, it was still quite impressive. You’ve almost fooled me.”

The door opened; and Goro didn’t need to look to recognize Sae’s breathless gasp as she marched forward, ready to pull him away…

…only to be stopped by his raised hand.

“Please, Sae-san. That will be unnecessary. I will leave his escape in your capable hands.” he said quietly, turning his back to Akira, unable to bear the fearful surprise in his eyes for much longer. In the end, Akira had never trusted him. It was all just a charade; a trick, played by the true Trickster, meant to disarm him.

In the end, he has never been loved, after all.

“Goro…” Akira breathed his name, and Goro stopped in his tracks. He didn’t turn around; he was already in the doorway, past bewildered Sae who looked in between the two of them. A moment’s silence was enough of an encouragement for Akira to speak again; and he did, in a soft, pained voice. He sounded as if he himself was afraid of the words he was about to say, of the question he was about to ask.

“…did you… did you _kill_ me? Was that how you found out?”

Goro closed his eyes; hidden from Akira’s view, his hand tightened its hold on the doorknob.

“Yes.” he answered quietly; and left.

**Author's Note:**

> If you like my stories, you can find me on twitter [@mikan_writings](https://twitter.com/mikan_writings) and/or tumblr at [mikan_writings](https://mikan-writings.tumblr.com/)!


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